Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic contrast imaging method

Abstract

Ultrasonic diagnostic arrangements (apparatus, methods, etc.) including: an ultrasonic probe or operation for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to an object to be tested and receiving an ultrasonic wave from the object; a transmitter or operation for pulse-driving the ultrasonic probe to transmit an ultrasonic beam to the object; a reception phasing unit or operation for performing phasing on reflected echo signals received by the ultrasonic probe, the reception phasing unit separately performing phasing at multiple phasing frequencies on the reflected echo signals received in response to at least one transmission of the ultrasonic beam; an image generator or operation for generating an ultrasonic image based on the phased received signal.

1 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
 an ultrasonic probe for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to an object to be tested and receiving an ultrasonic wave from the object;   a transmitter for pulse-driving the ultrasonic probe to transmit an ultrasonic beam to the object;   a reception phasing unit for performing phasing on reflected echo signals received by the ultrasonic probe, the reception phasing unit separately performing phasing at multiple phasing frequencies on the reflected echo signals received in response to at least one transmission of the ultrasonic beam;   an image generator for generating an ultrasonic image based on the phased received signal; and   a display for displaying the generated ultrasonic image.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reception phasing unit performs the phasing on the reflected echo signals from an area in which an ultrasonic contrast agent injected into the object exists. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the ultrasonic contrast agent is a mixture of multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents, and the reception phasing unit performs the phasing on the reflected echo signals from an area in the object in which an ultrasonic contrast agent exists, based on eigen values of the multiple ultrasonic contrast agents. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the reception phasing unit includes as the multiple phasing frequencies at least one of difference and sum of frequencies from different resonance frequencies included in reflected echo signals obtained from an area in the object in which the multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents exist. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising a display controller for controlling to display in time series on the display the frequency distribution of reflected echo signals obtained from an area in the object in which the multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents exist. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the reception phasing unit selects the multiple phasing frequencies based on the frequency distribution of reflected echo signals obtained from an area in the object in which the multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents exist. 
     
     
         7 . An ultrasonic contrast imaging method, characterized by comprising:
 a first step in which a transmitter pulse-drives an ultrasonic probe to transmit an ultrasonic beam to an object to be examined;   a second step in which the ultrasonic probe receives reflected echo signals from the object in response to transmitting the ultrasonic beam to the object;   a third step in which a reception phasing unit performs phasing on the reflected echo signals, the reception phasing unit separately performing phasing on the reflected echo signals received in response to at least one transmission of the ultrasonic beam, at multiple phasing frequencies from an area in which an ultrasonic contrast agent injected into the object exists; and   a fourth step in which an image generator generates an ultrasonic image based on the phased received signal.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasonic contrast imaging method according to  claim 7 , wherein the ultrasonic contrast agent is a mixture of multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents, and, in the fourth step, the reception phasing unit performs the phasing on the reflected echo signals from an area in the object in which an ultrasonic contrast agent exists, based on eigen values of the multiple ultrasonic contrast agents. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasonic contrast imaging method according to  claim 8 , wherein, in the fourth step, the reception phasing unit includes as the multiple phasing frequencies at least one of difference and sum of frequencies from different resonance frequencies included in reflected echo signals obtained from an area in the object in which the multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents exist. 
     
     
         10 . The ultrasonic contrast imaging method according to  claim 8 , further comprising a fifth step in which a display controller controls to display in time series on the display the frequency distribution of reflected echo signals obtained from an area in the object in which the multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents exist. 
     
     
         11 . The ultrasonic contrast imaging method according to  claim 8 , wherein, in the fourth step, the reception phasing unit selects the multiple phasing frequencies based on the frequency distribution of reflected echo signals obtained from an area in the object in which the multiple types of ultrasonic contrast agents exist.